State Act

The Gujarat Panchayats Act, 1993

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— (1) “building” includes a hut, shed or other enclosure whether used as a human dwelling or for any other purpose whatsoever and also includes walls, verandahs, fixed platforms, plinths doorsteps and the like; (2) “cattle” means and includes bulls, bullocks, heifers, cows and their young, elephants, camels, buffaloes, horses, mares, geldings, ponies, colts, fillies, mules, asses, swine, sheep, ewes, rams, lambs, goats and kids; (3) “city” means a city defined in the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949; (4) “competent authority” means such Government Officer, panchayat or authority as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint to perform the functions of a competent authority under such provisions of this Act and in respect of such panchayats as may be specified in the said notifications; Explanation :- For the purposes of this clause, a Government Officer includes a Government Officer posted under a panchayat under sections 136, 161 or 232. (5) “district” means a district constituted from time to time under the Land Revenue Code; except the area over which a district panchayat has no authority under section 6; (6) “District Development Officer” means such officer as the State Government may appoint to be a District Development Officer for the purposes of this Act; (7) “district panchayat” means a district panchayat constituted under this Act; (8) “factory” means a factory as defined in the Factories Act, 1948; (9) “Finance Commission” means the Finance Commission constituted under clause (1) of article 243-1 of the Constitution; (10) “general election” means the election held under this Act for the constitution or the reconstitution of a panchayat after the expiry of its term or otherwise; (11) “land” includes land which is built upon, or covered with water; (12) “Land Revenue Code” means the Bombay Land Revenue Code, 1879 in force in the State of Gujarat; 1[(12A) “mobile tower” means a temporary or permanent structure, equipment or instrument erected or installed on land or upon any part of the building or premises for providing telecommunication services;] (13) 2[ * * * * * ] (14) “panchayat” means a village panchayat, taluka panchayat or district panchayat; (15) “Panchayat Functions List” means the list of matters enumerated in Schedules I, II, and III; (16) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules; (17) “public street” means any street— (a) over which the public have a right of way, or (b) heretofore levelled, paved, metalled, channelled, served or repaired out of a panchayat fund or other public fund, or (c) which under the provisions of this Act is declared by a panchayat to be or which under the provisions of this Act becomes a public street; (18) “revenue district” or “revenue taluka” means a district or, as the case may be, a taluka or mahal constituted under the Land Revenue Code; (19) “rules” means rules made, or deemed to have been made, under this Act; (20) “Scheduled Castes” means such castes, races or tribes or parts of, or groups within, such castes, races or tribes as are deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to the State of Gujarat under article 341 of the Constitution of India; (21) “Scheduled Tribes” means such tribes or tribal communities or parts of, or groups within, such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Gujarat under article 342 of the Constitution of India; (22) “Secretary” means a secretary of a panchayat appointed or deemed to be appointed under this Act; (23) “State Election Commission” means the State Election Commission referred to in clause (1) of article 243-K of the Constitution; (24) “Street” means any road, footway, square, court, alley or passage accessible whether permanently or temporary to the public, whether a thoroughfare or not; (25) “taluka” means a taluka constituted from time to time under the Land Revenue Code, except the area over which a taluka panchayat has no authority under section 6; (26) “Taluka Development Officer” means such officer as the State Government may appoint to be a Taluka Development Officer for the purposes of this Act; (27) “taluka panchayat” means a taluka panchayat constituted under this Act; (28) “tax” means a tax, cess, rate or other impost leviable under this Act, but does not include a fee; (29) “vehicle” includes a bicycle, tricycle, motor car and every wheeled conveyance which is used or capable of being used on a public street; (30) “village panchayat” means a village panchayat constituted under this Act; (31) “ward” means an area into which a village is divided under section 16; (32) “year” except in the case of the term of panchayat, means the year commencing on the 1st day of April unless another date is specified by the State Government by notification in the Official Gazette; (33) the words “gram sabha” “panchayat area” “population and “village” shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in Part IX of the Constition.